WINTER QUARTER SUNDAY SCHOOL 2011-2012
THEME: GOD ESTABLISHES A FAITHFUL COVENANT PEOPLE
Unit One: Through His Covenant Promises. Lessons 1-4
“GOD’S COVENANT COMMITMENT CONCEIVED AND CELEBRATED IN THE CHRIST OF CHRISTMAS ”
Sunday School Lesson No. IV, December 25, 2011
Presented by Rev. Frank Davis, III, Pastor-Teacher
Lesson Text: Luke 1:46-55
Required Reading: Luke 1:26-56; Galatians 3:6-18
Memory Text: Luke 1:46-47, “And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.”
Reliable Resources: Precepts for Living by UMI; Union Gospel Press Expositor and Illuminator; Libronix Electronic Library; Standard Lesson Commentary; Wilmington’s Bible Handbook; The Bible Knowledge Commentary
INTRODUCTION
“Joy to the world the Lord is come; Let earth receive her King.” Beloved, we fast forward in this series of covenant lessons to the ultimate reason for the season and the answer to Isaac’s question in last week’s lesson, “Where is the lamb?” Genesis 22:7. Beloved, “Behold the Lamb of God.” John 1:29
Our lesson focuses on the Virgin Mary and her confirmation from the angel that she would conceive and bear the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Such great and unbelievable news just caused her to praise and celebrate God’s mighty acts and excellent greatness in her meager humble life. Beloved, let us travel to the small town of Nazareth and follow the steps of the Virgin Mary as she receives this great news from the throne of God, and see how she processes this message, giving God all glory, honor and praise! Christ brings all the celebration to Christmas, and honor on a poor virgin Jewish girl who fully accepted God’s perfect will (found in Luke 1:38) that was given to Abraham in Genesis 12:3.
Anticipated Power Points:
· God’s Covenant Commitment Son Conceived. Luke 1:31-38
· God’s Covenant Commitment Son Confirmed. Luke 1:39-45
· God’s Covenant Commitment Celebrated. Luke 1:46-55
LESSON OUTLINE
“God’s Covenant Commitment Conceived and Celebrated in the Christ of Christmas”
I. God’s Covenant Commitment Son Conceived. Luke 1:31-38
Galatians 4:4 declares, “But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.” Beloved, how long does one wait for God to fulfill his Word? The answer is too simple: “As long as it takes!” In the case of the virgin’s Son, many years had transpired, but when the time was right, God brought all the pieces together in order to fulfill the words of the prophet. Isaiah 7:14 declares, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Beloved, just as the prophetic words declared, it happened. Mary, being totally baffled, just needed words of confirmation. “Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” Luke 1:34. She was engaged to a noble man named Joseph and had never been sexually compromised. Truly, she was a virgin. As you read verses 32-33, you will find that the angel declared five things about the Son she was about to conceive divinely, and she responded with the words of Luke 1:38, “…be it unto me according to thy word...”
II. God’s Covenant Commitment Son Confirmed. Luke 1:39-45
God always encourages His people’s faith. In the case of Mary, God used Elisabeth, her formerly barren cousin from around Judah, to help confirm what was taking place in Mary’s life. Gabriel the Lord’s angel, had six months earlier blessed Elisabeth and her old husband Zacharias to conceive a son whose name would be called John.
Now Mary, who was now pregnant by the Holy Ghost, arrives at the house of Elisabeth, and when Elisabeth heard Mary’s voice she became “filled with the Holy Ghost” (that is, under the control of the Holy Ghost and she spoke out blessing the life of Mary by declaring her to be “blessed among women.” This meant that she was given God’s gracious favor among all the Jewish women who knew of Messiah’s coming to earth through a virgin.
But Elisabeth’s confirmation was matched by the baby in her womb, who too was filled with the Holy Ghost, and leaped for joy in her womb! Praise God for His confirmation. But then Mary speaks the words of our lesson this week to fully exalt the Lord God Jehovah and His Son Jesus Christ.
III. God’s Covenant Commitment Celebrated. Luke 1:46-55
From the days of Abraham who received the covenant commitment from God of all the families of the world being blessed (Genesis 12:3), Mary had been given the privilege of conceiving and delivering God’s Covenant Commitment in the Person of Jesus Christ. Let us note her gracious expressions of praise, thanksgiving, worship and adoration. Note that of herself she gives no credit, but all glory to God!
A. Mary celebrates the Lord’s personal faithfulness to her. vss. 46-50
“First, Mary praised God for His special favor on her. Mary saw herself as part of the godly remnant that had served Yahweh. She called God my Saviour showing an intimate acquaintance with Him. She spoke of His faithfulness (vs. 48), power (vs. 49), holiness (vs. 49) and mercy (vs. 50).” (The Bible Knowledge Commentary). Be especially aware that Mary celebrates the Lord God and not herself! John 2:5 tells us, “His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.”
B. Mary celebrates the Lord’s faithfulness to Abraham and his seed.
“Mary praised God for His special favor on Israel (vv. 51-55). Through the Child that she was to bear, God was being merciful to Abraham and his descendants. Mary was aware that the birth of her Child was the fulfillment of the covenant promises to Abraham and his people. (The Bible Knowledge Commentary).
CLOSING
As I close, I want you to be like Mary in praising God for a miraculous conception and a marvelous celebration this Christmas and every day this year. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
Bibleway Missionary Baptist Church, New Orleans, LA & Little Bethel Baptist Church, Amite, LA
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LOOKING AHEAD: January 1, 2012 Genesis 39:7-21
NOTE: SEE AND HEAR PASTOR DAVIS TEACH THE LESSON WEEKLY AT www.thstudyhour.com
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“Yesterday’s victory is now a memory. Today’s will come as we presently perform, and tomorrow’s is based on our consistency from day to day!” Pastor Frank Davis
MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE STUDY HOUR AND
THE DAVIS FAMILY